1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to sensor arrays and particularly to linear and multi-dimensional sensor arrays for uniquely identifying spatial regions.
2. Description of the Related Art
Advances in microelectronics and electro-optics have made a wide variety of low-cost energy-detection sensors commercially available. Examples of devices that contain such sensors include Infrared (IR) and microwave motion sensors, fiber optic light sensors, charged coupled display (CCD) cameras, and laser radar (LIDAR) devices. These devices are used in various applications to detect objects, motion, or energy such as light or sound. However, in order to identify or track the position of an object or energy source, complicated systems with moving parts are often required involving, for example, gimbaled raster scanning apparatus. There is a need for less complex and more durable devices that employ no moving parts, and yet are capable of detecting the position or motion of objects or energy sources in both two and three-dimensional space.
The present invention is directed to a sensor array system for detecting the position of an object or energy source. The system includes a plurality of sensors, each sensor having a limited field of view and being capable of detecting an object or energy source that is positioned within its field of view. The fields of view of at least some of the sensors overlap the fields of view of other sensors, and the overlapping fields of view define unique spatial regions. A data acquisition system is operatively connected to the plurality of sensors and is used to determine which sensors simultaneously detect an object or energy source, thereby determining the unique spatial region in which the object or energy source is located.